I haven’t really used my sewing machine ever since moving here except for some alterations and a pillow case. The only room large enough for sewing is our living room, which I hate cluttering up with my sewing supplies because this is where we spent most of our time. Then there’s the matter of the incredibly curious kitty …Phil actually suggested a “Sewing Sunday” after I complained about my lack of sewing a few times. I had already started tracing the pattern for this retro blouse in spring, but abandoned it when Oscar kept marching across/plopping down on top of the paper. This time around, I just locked him out of the room until I was done. (Much to his dismay, of course.) I used a thrifted mystery fabric bought from the estate of an old lady. Sewing again was fun. The pattern is fairly easy, but I managed to completely eff up the neckline facing (pattern piece no. 4). I think I cut it out wrong. I was rather bemused by the cutting plan provided in the instructions. Am I supposed to double the piece? Push it to the fold? I sort of settled on a neckline facing for a v-neck blouse, but realized later the neckline’s actually round. The facing didn’t fit, obviously. I just couldn’t do anything about it because I didn’t have enough fabric left. And even if I had, I’d have no idea how to cut it out right … Can anyone explain to me what I should have done?Burda pattern instructions are actually good (despite my protestations over the years!) if you know what you’re doing … I just don’t most of the time! ;DPATTERN OVERVIEW

Pattern: BurdaStyle 02/2018 No. 120, size 40.

Photography: Phil.